Confident Canine Dog Training

203-240-5675    info@CTDogTrainer.com

849 Main Street, Monroe CT 06468

Are you offending your dog?

There is a common theory out there that for a successful relationship with your dog, you need to show them "whose boss". While it is true you want to be viewed as a leader to your pooch, you ideally want to be the leader of the team. This is much different then being the dictator. Team leaders wind up with well balanced, well mannered dogs who are happy to be living with you.

What are you doing to make your dog feel inferior?

So who are you listening to for training? Here are 5 common training methods that will ruin your relationship with your dog:

• Rolling your dog onto their back and pinning them, or "Alpha Rolls"
  
• Shaking your dog by the scruff of it's neck
  
• Hitting your dog in any way
  
• Yelling at your dog
  
• Manually forcing your dog to sit or down
  

Seem self explanatory? How about your body language? Are you doing things that are stressing out your dog, and you don't even realize it? Here are a few common things you may be doing which will leave your dog hesitant to follow your training commands, or worse!

• Forcing your face into your dog
  
• Picking up your dog regularly (this is very unnatural for them)
  
• Hugging your dog (easily taken as a dominance play by dogs)
  
• Patting (not scratching) your dog on their shoulder blades or top of their head
  
• Trying to walk "through" your dog when they are in your way
  
• Making direct eye contact with a strange dog (a strong dominance play in nature, and a big cause of bite injuries today)
  

So do any of these sound familiar? These, and many other common behaviors, are actually counter productive for your pooch. That is why we at Confident Canine spend much time stressing behaviors that bond owner with dog, not draw a line between them. They don't take much work, but they are very effective. Just a couple of examples include:

• Using a calm speaking voice with your dog. They can hear you, no need to yell. If they aren't listening, try being more interesting.
  
• As silly as it sounds, when you command your dog try visualizing your dog performing the command as you give it. Pretend to be sending it "mentally" to your dog. What you are doing subconsciously is changing your body position as you think, and sending a physical cue to the dog.
  
• Mark and praise good behaviors in order to teach your dog words.. For example, "Good Sit" or "Good Down" when your dog performs the action.
  
• Remember that dogs live in the moment, so any praise (or corrections) need to be swift. If you wait too long your dog won't know what behavior your referring to!
  

So do you like what you are seeing so far? This is our approach to education. Notice how it involves you almost as much as it does the dog? If you want to learn more, please let us know, we'll be happy to teach you!